Method of and apparatus for weaving



Aug. 3 1926..

F. B. MA NL EY METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING Filed Jan. so, 1923 2 Shets-Sheetl INVENTOR. 03 W A ATTORNEY.

' Aug. 3 1926.

F. 1a. MANLEY METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING v Filed Jan. so, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-.11?

:FRED B. MANLEY, on PATERsoN, NEW JERSEY, AssIGN'oR To rRX'rILns nnvnnor MENT CORPORATION, on NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

METHOD OF AND APIPARATUS FOR WEAVING.

Application filed January 30, 1923.

In the production of certain fabrics, it is desired to twist adjacent wrap strands around each other between successive picks of filling. It is one of the objects of my present invention to provide apparatus by which such twisting of warp strands may be readily and efficiently carried out, and particularly apparatus by which such strands may be twisted around each other as many times as desired. Other objects of my invention will appear from the follow: ing description and the appended drawings, in which: I

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an illustrative embodiment of a portion of my apparatus for producing twists in adjacent warp strands Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, on a somewhat enlarged scale, and showing the warp strands in position Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a pair of heddles used in the illustrative form of my invention Fig. 4 is a side view of Fig. 3

Fig. 5 is a side View of a loom, more or less diagrammatically represented, and in which the usual parts of the loom not con cerned with my present invention are omitted, and

Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 5, with some of the parts in different positions.

Fig. 7 illustrates the attachment of the heddles to the heddle bars.

Like reference characters indicate like parts in the several views. I

In the drawings I have illustrated my invention in connection with a fabric in which the twisting of the warp strands 00- I curs only at predetermined times in the weaving operation, and not one in which the warp is twisted between each pick of filling, as may be done in some cases. In producing the kind of fabric illustrated, I provide the usual harness and, in the illustrative form, such a harness is controlled by the usual dobby to form the shed, and the desired pattern. The warp beams 10 and 35, the dobby 11, the harness strap 12, the reed 13 and the breast beam 14: are of the usual type, the warp being carried over the usual guides through the reed 13 into the fell of the cloth passing over the breast beam 14. It will be understood that the Serial No. 615,813.

loom has the usual constructionto operatethese parts in the known manner.

The heddles 15 are preferably of the form shown best in Figs. 3 and 4, being made, in-

the illustrative form, of thin sheet metal having their ends twisted so that they may be suspended in the harness and each heddle beingprovided at its central portion with an opening 16 extendingto the side of the heddle, which opening is of considerable length vertically, and preferably a recess 17 above the opening 16and a recess 18 below the opening 16 are provided, the recesses 17 and 18 being of the width of the usual di ameter of the heddle opening for the size yarn used in the fabric being woven.

In weaving the fabric between the pol? tions having twisted warp strands, the heddles 15 are controlled by the dobby and harness inthe usual manner to form the shed for successive picks, each'warp strand WV, W being raisedand lowered in the usual manner by one ofthe heddles 15, each strand 1 passing alternately into the recesses 17 and 1 18 as such strand is to be raised or lowered.

I-Ieddle bars 37 pass through the top and" bottom slots 36 of the heddles, and the'heddles are held thereon in such a position that they can be raised or lowered. On each side of this slot, both top and bottom, support ing the heddle is a clip 38. Y I I Adjacent the heddles and at the rear thereof, I place my novel warp strand twisting arrangement, which, in the illustrative form, is made up of a'plurality of twisting members 19. These members are each in the form of a quill having a. bearing 20 onthe opposite ends thereof and having gear teeth 21, and are connected, in turn, to a bar 23 extending across the loom frames, indicated at 24,24111 Fig. 1. j 7

Each of the twisting members 19is provided with a pair of strand guideways 25 extending longitudinally through the quill and, in the form illustrated, these guideways are located on opposite sides of the axes of the twisting members and at the same Ydis tance therefrom. L; will be understood that, if desired, the twisting members may have more than two guidew-ays, according to the kind of twist desired to be given to the warp strands.

The twisting members 19 are turned on an arm 32 provided with a pull spring 33 and connected through cable; 34 with the,

dobby 11, the dobby being arranged to operate therack 26 in; accordance with the number of twists 1 10, be given to the warp strands: and at as many times to eachi repeat as may he desired. i

d? the cloth, and in; the following description, the operation of a pair Of'ldzjitCQlfll'; strands will; be described, it being understood that; as: many of such warp strands as: are desiredwill' be similarly twisted During the weaving of the portion of the pattern in which the, warp strands are not twisted, the shed will be formed as shown best in Fig; the twisting member 19 at that time preferably. beiaigturned', so that the guideways are: in the same horizontal plane. Obviously when the parts; are in this position, the warp strands-wilt pass through the twisting members 19' without being at Zfected thereby,andthe strands may-be: lifted and lowered to form thershcd'v in the usual manner.

When it; is; desired. to, twista. pairof adjacentwarp strandsythe harnessis operfated/so as; to; move the heddles 15 into the positionshown in Figs. 3 and 6, with the openings: 16 opposite each; other; Then the rack 26 is moved to. cause the members 19' to; turn as many times. as: it; is desired topro dnce twists. in the: By having; the

openings 16; 16 opposite each other, the

strandsNV, W are temporarily freed" fromthe hedldles so. th-atthey may turn around each other to: produce the twists, as indicated, at T. After the twists are given to warpstrands, the shed isagain opened and a pick at the filling inserted and beaten up in, the usual-mannem-so that: the twists in the warp are locked in position. VVhenthe twist 'Eis producedin, the fell ot the cloth,

itrwil'l be obvious: that a corresponding re verse twist will be produced at T on the The twist T maybe allowed toremain: while the warps areshedded: in the ordinary manner and pioksioi are-inserted, or it: maybe removed immediately afterthe beating up of the pick: at which has just locked the twist T in position. The twist T be r removed by bringing the heddlesto the/position shown! in Figs. and 6: and then actuating the rack in the opposite direction back to its original position. This operation will introduce a new twist T in a direction oppositeto the direction of the preceding twist T,jthe warps beingstraig'ht in the rear of the heddles. A pick of filling may then be inserted and'beaten up as before to lock the new twist T in position. Picks 01" filling may then be. insertedin the ordinary manner, all the warps now being straight, or the twisting mechanism may be actuated as before.

It will be obvious that with the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there is sub-- stantially no limit to the number oftimes' the, warp strand may be twisted around adjacent The warp strands: W, W" are carried trom. the warp; beam 10* through the, twisting nieinhers. 19' and the hedtl-les 15 into the tell warp strands, the number of twists being determined entirely by the number of turns of the twistingmembers 19', which, in turn, will be determined by the motion of the rack 26. Moreover, by passing the warp strands through guideways extending substantially in the same direction as the warp strands, no sharp bends are produced in the warp strands, the spring slackener 39 takcare of the extra length required to open the hedd-les, and there is, therefore, substantially no tendency to break suchstrands,

While, in the'illustrative embodiment I have shown all of" the warp as passing through twisting members, it will beunderstood-that if the fabric is to have twisted warp strands only at intervals across the fabric,-the twist may be-omitted at the places where the warp is not to be twisted, by the removal of the twisting members 19. In this event, the warps to be twisted maybe taken off' one warp beam, and those not twisted,

oli another warp: beam, as the latter warpshaving a plurality of guid'eways extending therethroughlengthwise of the warpstrand's, and means to rotate said twisting: member, combmed with harness mechanism for shedding the warps of the twisted pair'relativeto? one another, said harness mechanism including a pair of heddl'es so interrelated that eachheddle may raise or, lower eitl-ierthread of the pair, the thread being transferred from one heddle to: the other heddle during the rotary movement of the twi ting member, each hedd'le acting on the particular thread placed in it by the twisting member through which it passes.

2'. In a loom, means for twisting a pair or" adjacent warp strands while the loom is in operation, ,COIIIPI'lSlI-lg a twisting member having a plurality of guideways extending-therthroagh lengthwise of the warp strands, and means to rotate said twisting:

member; through, a plurality of rotations,

combined with harness mechanism for shedding the warps of the twisted pair relative to one another, said harnes mechanism including a" pair of heddles so interrelated that each heddle may raise or lower either thread of the pair, the thread being transferred from one heddle to the other heddle during the rotary movement of the twisting member, each heddle acting on the particular thread placed in it by the twisting member through which it passes.

3. In a loom, means for twisting apair of adjacent warp strands while the loom is in operation, comprising a twisting member having a plurality of guideways extendingv therethrough lengthwise of the warp strands, said member being mounted for rotation on an axis parallel to the warp strands, and means to rotate said twisting member, combined with harness mechanism for shedding the warps of the twisted pair relative to one another, said harness mechanism including a pair of heddles so interrelated that each heddle may raise or lower either thread of the pair, the thread being transferred from one heddle to the other heddle during the rotary movement'of the twisting member, each heddle acting on the particular thread placed in it by the twisting member through which it passes. a

i. In a loom, means fort'wisting a pair of adjacent warp strands while the loom is in operation, comprising a twisting member having a plurality of guideways extending therethrough lengthwise of the warp, strands, said member being mounted for rotation on an axis parallel to the warp strands and located between said guideways,

and means to rotate said twisting member, combined with harness mechanism for shedding the warps of the twisted pair relative to one another, said harnessvmechanism including a pair of heddles so interrelated that each heddle may raise or lower either thread of the pair, the thread'being transferred from one heddle to the other heddle during the rotary movement of the twisting member, each heddle acting on the particular thread placed in it by the twisting member through which it passes.

5. In a loom, means for twisting a pair of adjacent warp strand while the loom is in operation, comprising a twisting member having a plurality of guideways extending therethrough lengthwise of the warp strands, said member being mounted for rotation on an axis parallel to the warp strands and located between said guideways, and means to rotate said twisting member through a plurality of rotations, combined with harness mechanism for shedding the warps of the twisted pair relative to one another, said harness mechanism including a pair of heddles so interrelated that each heddle may raise or lower either thread of the pair, the

threadbeing transferredfrom one hed'dleyto.

the oth'erheddle during the rotary movement of the twisting member, each heddle acting on the particular thread placed in it by the twisting member through which it passes.

6. In a loom, means for twisting a pair of adjacent warp strands while'the loom is in operation, comprising a twisting member having a plurality of guideways extending each heddle may raise or lower either thread of the pair, the thread being transferred from one heddle to the other heddle during the rotary movement ofthe twisting member, i

each heddle acting on the particular thread placed'in it by the twisting member through which it passes. l a a 'Z. In a loom, a support extending across the loom, a plurality of twisting members mounted insaid'su'pport andeach arranged to be rotated on an axis parallel with the warp strands, a plurality of guideways ex tending through each of said members in the general direction of the axis thereof, means to rotate all of said members,simultaneously on their res ective:axes, and harness mechanism for shedding the warps of the twisted pairs relativeto one another, said harness,

mechanisms each including a pair of heddles so interrelatedthat each heddle may raise or lower either'thread of the corresponding pair, the thread being transferred from-one heddle to the other during the rotary movement of thecorresponding twisting member,

each heddle acting on the particular thread placed in it by thetwistingmember through which it passes. i g i 8.111 a loom, a support extending across the loom, a plurality of twisting members mounted in said support and each arranged to be rotated on an axis parallel with the warp strands, a plurality of guideways extending through each of said members in the general direction of the axis thereof, and means to rotate all of said members simultaneously on their respective axes, said means comprising a gear on each member and a reciprocating rack engaging all of said gears, said harness mechanisms each including a pair of heddles so interrelated that each heddle may raise or lower either thread of the corresponding pair, the thread being transferred from one heddle to the other during the rotary movement of the corresponding twisting member, each heddle acting on the particular thread placed in it by the twisting member through which it passes.

9. A loom mmprising a harness having a pair of heddles for adgacent warp strands, each heddle having an o ening in the side thereof adjacent theother heddle of the pair,

I a twisting member for the warp strand-s en gaged by said heddles, said twisting member being .a'rranged'to twist such warp strands above each other, means to operate said twisting member, and means to operate the harness to bring said openings side by side when the twisting member is operated.

10.." A loom comprising a harness having a pair of heddles for adjacent warp strands, each heddle having an opening in the side thereof adjacent the other heddle of the pair and a recess above and a recess below said opening, a twisti g member for the warp strands engaged by said heddles said twisting-member being arranged to twist such warp strands about each other, means to oper-ate said twisting'member, and means to operate said harness to form a shed between the warp strands and to bring the warp strands to substantially the same level with said openings side by side when the twisting member is operated.

11. Aiheddle having on opening in its side substantially longer vertically than the diameter of the strands to be controlled by the heddle, said heddle having a recess above and a recess below said opening and extending into said opening.

12. In a 100m, means for twisting a pair of adjacent warp strands while the 100111 is in operation, comprising a twisting member having a plurality of guideways extending therethrorrgh lengthwise of the warp strands, and means to rotate .said twisting member, combined with a vertically moving harness mechanism for-sheddingthe warps of the twisted pair, said harness mechanism includ ing a pair of heddles so interrelated that each heddle may raise or lower'either thread of the pair, the thread being transferred from one heddle to the other heddle during the rotary movement :of the twisting member, each :heddleacting on the particular thread and o eration, comprising a twisting member having a plurality of guideways extending therethrough lengthwise of the warp strands, said member being mounted for rotation on an axis parallelto the warp strands and means to rotate said twisting member, combined with a vertically moving harness mechanism for shedding the warps of the twisted pair, said harness mechanism includ ing a pair of heddles so interrelated that each heddle may raise or lower either thread of the pair, the thread being transferred from one heddle to the other heddle during the rotary movement of the twisting Inem ber, each heddle acting on the particular thread placed in it by the twisting member through which it passes.

14; In a loom, means for twisting a plu rality of pairs of adjacent :warpthreads while the loom is in operation, comprising a plurality of twisting members each having a pair of guideways extending therethrough lengthwise of the warp threads, means for turning the adjacent twisting members on their respective axes to thereby introduce twists in the adjacent pairs of warp threads, combined with harness mechanism for shedding the warps of each of the twisted pairs, a shuttle for inserting a pick of filling into the shedded warps, said harness mechanisms each including a pair of heddles so interrelated that each heddle may raise or lower either thread of the corresponding pair, the thread being transferred from one heddle to the other during the rotary movement of the corresponding twisting member, each heddle acting on the particu ar thread placed in it by the twisting member through which it passes,

Signed at New York city, in New York and State of New York, this 17th day of January, 1923. I

FRED B. MANLEY. [L.s.]

the county of 

